Be Prepared. Be a Survivalist.

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Are you a Survivalist?

A survivalist is: “a person who advocates or practices SURVIVALISM especially: one who has prepared to survive in the anarchy of an anticipated breakdown of society” (as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica)

Whew! That’s a mouthful, and a little freaky; that’s the kind of definition that brings to mind mountain men or militia-types living in camo tents and readying themselves for an influx of illegal immigrants. In reality, anyone can be a survivalist, or prepper; you just have to have basic survival skills and a love of life.

Survivalism is “an attitude, policy, or practice based on the primacy of survival as a value” (www.eb.com)

For thousands of years, people had been living as survivalists. Only in the last century or two have we as a society started becoming so reliant on others for our well-being. The world really saw that come to light in the 1920s during the Great Depression and the 1960s during the Cold War. Only then did “survivalism” become a scary, realistic vision with thoughts of atomic bombs and the wail of sirens piercing the air.

Survivalism isn’t a “movement” or antiquated notion. It is something we all do everyday. It’s just not as apparent in the suburbs, or the polluted downtown area of whatever city you hail from. And here is where we can distinguish that there are varying degrees of survivalism.

Sure, there are “mountain men” and hate groups living in the wilderness – there are wacky people everywhere that give a bad reputation to people who just want to be prepared for whatever happens. And rightfully so; the environment is giving up on us and people are becoming a little disconnected these days. Why not say “just in case” every once in a while and learn a new skill. It simply comes down to taking responsibility for your own survival.

There are certain trademarks of what would be termed a true survivalist:
• A love of life and the earth
• Basic knowledge of gardening sustainable goods
• Basic wilderness survival
• Basic knowledge of self defense
• Basic first aid knowledge

To really be prepared, you should start with these five basics and work your way up from there. You don’t necessarily need to believe that the world is coming to an end, or know Navy Seal survival techniques; you just have to admit to yourself that your car is capable of breaking down and leaving you stranded with no rescue in sight. Or, you do live in an area with extreme weather patterns. Or, you simply don’t want to rely on the grocery store to provide you with basic sustenance that seems to cost more and more every day. Becoming a true survivalist is all about realizing (not obsessing) that anything is possible and that the old adage “it’s better to be safe than sorry” may be a valuable cliché after all.

Although some people do take being a survivalist to a whole new level of ‘wack-a-doo’ we believe that everyone can be sufficiently prepared for any situation, from simple inconveniences to outright disasters.

Check out our Survival Gear pages for more information on being prepared for anything.